


The Hatter & His Queen

by Dustycelt



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Original Character(s), Originally Posted on Tumblr, widower
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 07:26:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14666238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dustycelt/pseuds/Dustycelt
Summary: This is the story of Lori & Jefferson (from Rescuing Toto). It’s a tale with a guaranteed fluffy and happy ending. However, there will be creepy neighbors, image-obsessed prima donnas, and overbearing mothers. A couple of other surprises too.  The ending is a sure thing but the journey….it’s not going to be all rainbows and fluffy unicorns.





	1. Begin at the beginning and go on until you came to the end: then stop.

**Author's Note:**

> My wonderful friend who beta’d Toto for me and helped me out when I was hit by a tremendous bout of writer’s block. I told her as repayment for that act of kindness (and all of the others she has done during the course of our friendship) I would tell this story. 
> 
> In the story, Jefferson is the Mad Hatter from Once Upon A Time so I have pulled some characters from that verse.  
> For story purposes, I had to give Jefferson a last name so it is Palarier which is Romanian for hatter. Rescuing Toto is a reader insert so I had to give the reader a nickname for this story. In the next chapter of Rescuing Toto, it will return to a reader insert.

You couldn’t help but feel relieved to be getting out of Boston for the weekend. Your sophomore year at BU was starting off great except for your new roommate, Carolyn. You cursed the heavens at least once whenever you had no choice but to deal with her. You couldn’t bring yourself to deal with her anymore right now. You needed a break. You usually weren’t a morning person, but this morning you had been more than happy to get up at six. You were on the road in less than 20 minutes after rising.

You tapped your thumb on the steering wheel along to the beat of the song on the radio while smiling. You glanced at the clock checking your time as you crossed the state line. The trip from Boston University to St Francis College should take three and half hours. So far this trip, you were fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. You smiled at your good fortune with the weekend traffic and hope that it held until Brooklyn.

You and your best friend took turns going to see each other. You had been inseparable growing up. Upon finding that you would have to split up for college, you both became devastated. Your mother had said it was one of the costs of growing up. This did nothing to help.

She headed to St Francis College in Brooklyn with a full volleyball scholarship. You wanted to be a writer and Boston University had an excellent English department. The both of you had made a pact that you would see each other in person at least once a month. This resulted in alternating trips between Boston, Brooklyn and your hometown of Chicopee.

Sure, there had been a few hiccups last year. you had gotten lost the first time since your first trip to Brooklyn. She had been stuck in traffic a couple of times leaving Boston due to some bad timing on her part. Now, the respective drives were almost problem free for the most part. You had gotten making this journey down to an art.

You had spent this morning letting the stress drain away on the highway. You didn’t want the stresses of your life in Boston to interfere with the upcoming weekend. She told you that she would need to meet with her research partner sometime during the weekend. You suggested rescheduling your trip for another weekend. She had assured you that it should be a couple of hours at the most. That was enough to convince you to make the drive down from Boston and get away from Carolyn.

The ding alerted you that the elevator had reached the right floor. You brought your head up and opened your eyes as the doors opened. You immediately wished that you hadn’t. You were facing the one major drawback to visiting your best friend. Her creepy neighbor, Jonah Whale.

You saw his eyes flash with delight once he recognized you. Your stomach dropped. “Well, well. If it isn’t my favorite Bostonian,” he smirked as he slid in the elevator car. You gave him as wide berth as you could manage in the small car.

“Jonah,” you replied in a flat tone. You almost made a clean getaway but Jonah gripped your overnight bag. He held firm which prevented you from getting away. You looked over your shoulder at him. “What?” you asked already knowing the answer.

He took a step towards you but keeping your bag in his grasp. He eyed you up and down. You shivered in disgust. “You and me. Tonight. Dinner. A little dancing,” he licked his lips as his eyes continued to roam your body. “Then back to my place for a little one on one.”

“No, Jonah, the answer’s alway going to be no,” you exhaled as you batted his hand away from your bag. The doors slid closed seconds after you backed away. You said a silent prayer of thanks that Jonah didn’t have time to follow you. You turned and hurried down the hallway in case Jonah opened the doors and came back. You knocked on the door and tapped your foot while waiting.

Pepper finally opened the door to her apartment. You immediately noticed her extreme bedhead and frumpled pajamas. She yawned wide, “I turned the coffee on for you.” She waved you in and stepped aside so you could enter.

“Bless you, Pep,” you uttered in relief as you grabbed her in a quick hug. “I knew I made you my best friend for a reason,” you smiled as you made a beeline for the kitchen. 

You were well acquainted with the layout and knew where everything's location. You finished creating your version of heaven in a cup and sat down at the kitchen table. The bestie had already fallen back asleep with her head down on the table. You reached over and nudged her. A sleepy grunt was the only reaction you received. You laughed and poked her on the arm again.

“Whaaaaaaat?” she groaned as she raised her head with her eyes still closed. “I made coffee for you despite that I don’t ever touch the stuff. “I would think that would earn me some more snooze time,” she grumbled. She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her face. 

You cocked an eyebrow and smirked, “You thought wrong, oh grumpy one.” You took another sip and looked over the rim of the cup.

“Clearly,” your friend muttered as she stood. She moved to the pantry and stared. “So, I suppose since I’m not going to get any more sleep-,” she said as she cut her eyes in your direction. You chuckled and blew a kiss in her direction and she rolled her eyes in response. “Then I am going to make some breakfast.”

You jumped up from the table, “Yes, I am starving.” You wrapped an arm around the shorter girl’s shoulder and squeezed lightly. “I’ll even help.”

She playfully narrowed her eyes, “Have I ever told you how much I hate that you’re a morning person?”

You laughed some more as you removed the eggs from the refrigerator. “Only every time we’ve had a sleepover since we were seven,” you sassed back. “You know, you might be more cheerful in the morning if you drank some coffee.” You knew the response you would get from the statement but you couldn’t help yourself. She was very anti-coffee while you were a coffee addict. It had become a source of ribbing between the two of you over the years.

Pepper whirled around looking offended at the very thought. She raised a single finger in the air and replied sternly, “No.” The look of disgust on her face caused you break out in a fit of giggles. She shook her head, “You are an evil woman. How-” Her phone began to ring and interrupted her. She pointed her finger at you letting you know she wasn’t done with you. You laughed as she left the room.

You had finished cooking the eggs and toast by the time she came back. She put the phone on the counter and nabbed a piece of toast. “Do you remember the project that I said I might have to work on a little this weekend?” she said around a bite of toast. You nodded as you put some bacon in the pan. “Well,” she continued, “that was my partner on the phone. He’s on his way over.”

“What?” you frowned. “Just like that? He decides he’s available so it has to be right now? Woooow.” You shook your head as you flipped the bacon over. “That is ballsy.” You kept your eyes on the cooking meat so you missed the look that crossed your friend’s face.

Wiping the crumbs off her fingers, she was prepared to “Lori, be fair,” she began.

You continued on ignoring her protest, “I can’t believe you’re going along with it. That’s not like you.” You turned and pointed the greasy spatula at Pepper. “Unless you like him!” You smiled happy with yourself. That could be the only explanation as far as you could figure. The smile fell from your face when she grabbed her middle and began to laugh. A look of confusion replaced the smile on your face.

Pepper wiped the tears from her eyes, “Me and Jefferson? Oh, honey, no. Don’t get me wrong, Jefferson’s a nice enough guy once you get to know him. He’s even a little cute but I’ve got my eye on somebody else.” She waggled her eyebrows up and down for effect.

You took the bacon out of the pan and turned the burner off. “Oh, really,” you said as you put the platter of bacon on the table. “Spill,” you demanded as you sat down.

Her eyes got a dreamy faraway look and a goofy smile grew on her face. “His name is August Booth,” she took a bite of bacon and chewed. You motioned for her to continue. She swallowed and did so, “He’s actually a friend of Jefferson’s. He’s tall with brown hair and blue eyes. He’s smart and has a really nice smile. He’s a journalism major. I haven’t known him for very long but, I do like what I have found out so far.” she finished.

“I have not seen that look on your face since Jake Adams in the tenth grade,” you giggled.

She groaned and put her head in her hands, “Ugh, not Jake Adams. We had a deal, lady. Not supposed to mention his name for the rest of our lives.” You were still giggling. Pepper threw her napkin at you, “Come on, Giggles, Jefferson will be here soon and I still need to get dressed.” she rose from the table and put her plate in the sink.

“Go ahead and get dressed,” you waved her off. “I’m already dressed. I’ll clean up when I’m finished.” She looked at you with skepticism. You rolled your eyes in response, “Yes, I’m sure. Go.”

Shrugging her shoulders, “Okay, I’m not going to argue if you really want to do my dishes.” Pepper smiled and thanked her as she went to her bedroom. The doorbell rang shortly after you finished wiping down the counters.

“I got it!” you called out. You jogged over to the front door and opened it. Before you could say anything, a tall brunette barrelled past without a word. He had his head bent down and eyes glued to the screen of his phone.

You figured that this had to be Pepper’s partner, Jefferson, and followed him as he continued to the living room. He put his bags down on the couch and began to remove his jacket. You paused at the archway and crossed your arms. You were curious to see how long it would be before he finally spoke. You got your answer faster than you had been expecting.

He threw his jacket down and finally turned around. You were immediately struck by the color of his eyes. They were a captivating shade of blue. You took in the stubble on his cheeks and his strong jawline. His hair was underneath a hat so you couldn’t gauge how long it was. The sides seemed trimmed short.

“So, where do you want-” he stopped when he saw that he wasn’t speaking to Pepper as he expected. You immediately noticed that his voice was low and a slight timber to it. It was pleasant to your ears. You were distracted while he scanned the room. He brought his eyes back to you when he finished. “Who the hell are you?” he exclaimed rather loudly.


	2. “Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first meeting with Jefferson does not go well. It sets the precedent for your future interactions with him. The stress of said arguments has Pepper stressed and she finally snaps.

You straightened at the unexpected outburst. It succeeded in breaking you from your observations of the man. He took a step towards you. “Um, hello? Who are you?” he repeated when you hadn’t answered fast enough for his liking. You saw the agitation since it was showing quite clear on his face.

“Wow, way to shatter the illusion” you huffed out, “you’ve somehow managed to bring rude to a whole new level.” That seemed to slow him for a second. You didn’t care that your filter had stopped working. He looked at you in confusion with a slight hint of anger in his eyes. His reactions were almost becoming entertaining to you.

He narrowed his eyes at you. “Who are you?” he spoke slow but the tone of his voice was teetering on the edge of calm.

“Hey, Jefferson,” Pepper called out as she entered the room. She was in the middle of putting her hair in a ponytail. She glanced at the other two people in the room picking up on the tension in the room. “I’m getting a weird vibe. What’s going on?” she asked as the elastic snapped around her hair.

Jefferson turned toward her and pointed to you over his shoulder, “Who is this person?”

Your mouth opened in shock at his tone. “And the rudeness continues. I am right here, you know,” you stated rather bluntly. He turned back to you at your comment. There was a slight flash of anger in his eyes again. 

Pepper rolled her eyes and put her hands up. She wanted to diffuse this situation before it got out of hand, “Oh, for crying out loud. Jefferson, this is my friend, Lori.” She indicated you with a wave of her hand in your direction. She turned to you.

“Lori, can you put the sass away, please?” she pleaded. You began to object, but she raised her hand and cut you off. “For a little while, please? Jefferson is here to work on our project,” she reminded you as she gave you an admonishing look. “ He isn’t accustomed to your high level of sass.”

You glanced over at Jefferson and back to Pepper. You knew that the project was necessary and didn’t want to jeopardize Pepper’s grades. “Fiiiine,” you sighed and shrugged your shoulders, “I suppose that I’ll go amuse myself elsewhere.”

“How benevolent of you,” he muttered as he turned back to his bag. Yet, it wasn’t low enough for you to catch. Feeling incensed, you took a large inhale of air to ready your lungs so you could lay into the ass.

Pepper recognized the look on your face. She intervened before you could let the scathing insult fly that Pepper knew was on the tip of your tongue. “Okay,” she clapped her hands together in effort to break the tension in the air. She placed her hands on your shoulders with a light but restraining touch. “Lori, this shouldn’t take very long. And yes, I will be having a talk with him,” she added in a low voice when she noticed the look on your face.

You threw one last withering look at him before grabbing your keys. “I’ll have my phone on me if you need anything,” you threw over your shoulder as you walked through the door.

“Watch out for Jonah,” she called after you.

“Too late for that!,” you shouted back from the doorway. Pepper cringed. If Jonah knew you were here then it would be a long weekend of him knocking on her door with flimsy excuses. All so he could talk to you.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Pepper exclaimed, “Jefferson! What the hell? That is my best friend in the world. Not to mention she has spent the morning driving here from Boston.” She put her hands on her hips as she glared at him. He noted she wasn’t looking happy and a knot formed in his stomach.

“Wait, wait,” Jefferson interrupted her. He held up his hands. “That was your friend from Boston?” Pepper nodded in confirmation. He groaned, “You told me she was coming today, didn’t you?”

Pepper crossed her arms and replied in a curt manner, “Yup. Yesterday as a matter of fact.”

He sank onto the couch and threw his head back. “Aaaand I was a massive dick, wasn’t I?” he commented. Pepper was a friend and he didn’t take to people easy. He didn’t want to upset her. Yet, his overloaded brain took care of that for him.

Pepper cocked an eyebrow, “More so than usual, actually.” He looked at over at her. “I dare to argue with me,” she quipped.

He thought it over for a moment. He held his hands up in surrender. He knew he had a tendency to keep people at a distance. That most people walked away with the impression that he had an attitude. It didn’t bother him too much as it had the desired effect and people usually left him alone.

“Let’s get started, okay?” he sighed. Pepper just grunted in reply as she sat next to him on the couch.

__________

That first meeting set the tone for your interactions with Jefferson going forward. You saw Jefferson more than you would have liked after Pepper and August began dating. Anytime you and Jefferson were in the same room after that turned into the Snide Olympics. You both were competing for the gold medal. August and Pepper had tried to talk to you both separately and together. It was causing a strain on their relationship. 

 

The fighting continued for three months before Pepper reached her breaking point. You and Jefferson had been throwing barbed comments at each other all day. You were deeply engrossed in the slanderous volley with him. So much so that you missed the moment that Pepper’s resolve broke. 

“Enough.” Pepper grounded out with her teeth clenched. Your eyes whipped over to your friend and took her in. She had her head back and was staring at the ceiling of her living room. The thing that tipped you off to her state of mind was that she had her fists clenched in her lap. Her knuckles were white for crying out loud.

Shame bloomed throughout your chest. You sat next to her intending to smooth things over. Before you could begin, she rose from the couch and pointed to the door. 

“I need a break from this. If not, I am going to say some things I know I will regret later otherwise. You can take this somewhere else or not. I don’t care. I need you both to leave for a little while, okay?” The frustration was clear in her voice, “I need some quiet and I should be able to get that in my own home.”

Jefferson had the good sense to quickly gather his things and apologize as he went to the door. You scurried to the bedroom to gather your purse and phone so you could leave as well. You tried to speak to her as you walked out but she just shook her head as she headed into her room.

You came back in the apartment a three hours later. You found Pepper sitting on the couch with her head in her hands. Guilt ran through you again. You sat down on the couch next to her. “Hey, girl,” you murmured.

She lifted her head and looked at her. “Hey,” she replied flatly. Her eyes told you how tired she was. The effects of the fighting between Jefferson and yourself. The strain of trying to be neutral in your latest altercation was evident. The guilt and shame you felt increased. Girl time together was the point of your weekends together. That had not been happening lately.

“Pepper, I am so, so sorry,” you croaked. You had been overlooking the feelings of one of the dearest people in your life. You couldn’t believe what you had done. All because you had met a hard-headed jackass. “I’ve been reacting the worst way possible to him and I didn’t stop to think about the impact that it would have on you. I’ve been a really bad friend. I hope you can forgive me,” you confessed and put your hand on her forearm while speaking. You hoped that she understood how sorry you were. 

She patted your hand and sighed heavily. “Thanks, I appreciate the apology.” She leaned back and ran her fingers through her hair. “I’ve already talked with Jefferson while you were out actually. At some point, you are going to have to be in the same room at the same time and be civil to one another. He agreed with little fuss,” she added.

“He did?,” you asked the shock clear in your voice, “Really?”

“Yes,” Pepper chuckled. “Despite what you think, he is not a total jackass.” She laughed again at the withering look on your face. “I swear, he’s really not. I told him that same about you.”

You gasped in indignation. She gave an answering look that had you conceding, “Alright, alright. I was acting like a bit of a…” you struggled to come up with the word.

“Brat,” she supplied for you with an arched eyebrow. This prompted you to hit her with a throw pillow. She hit you back with another pillow. This continued for a few minutes. It ended with the two of you collapsed against each other laughing like hyenas. 

After you regain your breath, you hugged your friend close. “I promise that I am going to try harder with him.”

She smiled at you, “That’s all I ask.”

_____________

You and Jefferson made arrangements to meet the next day. You insisted that it be outside the apartment on neutral ground. You didn’t want to take the chance that it didn’t go well and the resulting argument took place in Pepper’s apartment. Jefferson had suggested an outdoor cafe not too far from Pepper’s place.

You let yourself get lost in thought while waiting for Jefferson to show. You found yourself nervous about the possibilities if this failed. All the scenarios that came to mind caused a frown on your face.

A light tap on your shoulder brought your focus back to your surroundings. You looked up and watched Jefferson as he moved away to take the seat across from you.

“You looked lost in thought and I didn’t want to startle you when I sat down,” he commented as he settled in the wicker chair.

“Ah, thanks for that,” you nodded in acknowledgment. You adjusted your posture in the chair. You were unsure if you should attempt small talk or get right to the point.

Glancing over at the other side of the table, Jefferson looked to be pondering the same. He played with the cloth napkin and chewed on his bottom lip. You caught yourself staring and moved your eyes back to your side of the table.

Jefferson cleared his throat, “So, did you order anything yet?” He pointed to the counter inside the cafe. His eyes widened as a thought struck him. “Did you plan on ordering something? I don’t want to make any assumptions for you,” he spat out quickly.

“In succession, no and yes,” you chuckled lightly at his sudden awkwardness and smiled. “I felt it would be better to wait until you arrived. I didn’t want to seem like I didn’t think you would show up.”

“Oh, thanks,” he smiled for a split second before it was gone. You realized that he did that a lot. A smile would grace his face only to be gone just as quickly as it appeared. You couldn’t remember seeing him leave a smile on his face not even when talking with August. It seemed like a conscious effort on his part as well.

“I can order for you,” he offered. “That’s if you know what you want.” He stood from his chair but made no move to leave. You realized that you appreciated the gesture. You hated when someone ordered food or drink for you without checking with you first.

“It’s okay,” you replied as you stood. “I’m picky about my coffee. Even more so about my tea.” To your surprise, Jefferson let the comment slide. Normally, there would have been a backhanded slight. It gave a kernel of hope that this could, in fact, work.

The two of you headed to the counter. There were a couple of people in front of you so the wait wouldn’t be too long. You stood next to each other in silence. Jefferson’s attention was on his phone while you looked out the large window at the front of the cafe. Jefferson’s voice pulled your attention from your people watching activities.

“Huh,” he exhaled and turned his head to you. “Do you realize we have been in each other’s presence for five minutes and we haven’t argued?”

“Yeah, I have actually,” you breathed out. “Pep and I had a talk last night. It made me realize how much stress I was putting on her.”

“I haven’t known her long, but I have never seen her blow up like that,” he added. “It reminded me a little of when my mother when she begged my brother and I to go outside. She wanted a moment of peace and that was the only way she could get it.”

“Pepper is usually a calm and level-headed girl, but I’m afraid that we pushed her too far,” you uttered. You looked over at him. “I can count on one hand that number of times I’ve seen her lose her cool. This is the first time I’ve been the cause of it. I don’t like the feeling.”

“Me neither,” Jefferson agreed in a low voice as he shuffled forward a little. He pointed towards the large board behind the register. “Do you see anything strikes your fancy?”

“My fancy?” you raised your eyebrows and laughed a little. “You can be funny sometimes, you know that?” you commented as you turned your attention to the menu.

You missed the small smile that you caused without realizing what you have done. You had created a chip in the wall that he kept up. Jefferson recognized that he was going to have to be careful with you. He had a feeling that if you really tried, you would tear that wall done to dust. He would have to come up with a way to keep it around you. He needed that wall there. It was for the good of everyone else.

“Oh, my lanta, they have it,” you exclaimed with excitement ringing clear in your voice. Jefferson returned to his attention to you. You laughed at the look of interest on his face. “Sorry, I don’t find Nine Bend Black Dragon in Boston often. I certainly didn’t think I would happen across it here of all places.”

“Nine bend what?” he inquired with furrowed brows. He couldn’t believe you were so excited about what he assumed to be a variety of tea. A quick glance at the blackboard affirmed his guess.

“Nine Bend Black Dragon tea,” you reiterated. “I know it must seem ridiculous to you. It’s a good tea though. I swear.” You turned from him and approached the counter to place your order.

You both returned to the table after Jefferson placed his order. The uneasiness started to creep its way back in after sitting down. You missed the way the conversation flowed between the two of you while in line. Jefferson seemed to have pulled back into himself.

You were contemplating whether to push the issue or let it lie. You decided to ask about it when your order arrived at the table. You accepted your cup with a small smile. You took a small sip and enjoyed the taste of the Chinese tea. Jefferson, however, didn’t waste any time. He immediately started the conversation about why you were there in the first place.

“We need to find a way to keep from fighting,” he blurted out. He had his eyes on his own cup. You tilted your head and looked at him. You were curious at the change of his tone. It was closer now to the one you had become accustomed.

He seemed to be all business now. He wouldn’t look up at you. His words directed towards you but his eyes stayed on the contents of his cup. He was even tapping his thumb on the ceramic cup holding his coffee. You feared that if you asked about the shift would start an argument. You made the decision to shelf it for a later date. You were here to broker peace not start a battle.

Eventually, you reached an agreement. The both of you would “police” each other and signal the other in an attempt to stop anything before it can start. Agreeing to what the signal would be almost started another fight. After a great deal of debate on what would work, you both agreed. Two taps on the chin with a single finger would have to do.

It wasn’t a perfect system, but it seemed to be helping. There were slip-ups in the beginning. Pepper and August even took to using it for you guys. It became easier to spend time together as a group. That was the whole point after all. Keeping your best friends happy and not ruining their relationship. 

This didn’t mean you and Jefferson turned into the best of pals. He seemed to make an effort to keep you at a distance. You asked Pepper about it once. She had shook her head and told you that it was complicated and not her story to tell. She refused to elaborate any further. You knew that if you asked Jefferson, you wouldn’t get an answer there either. You had thought about asking August. You doubted that he would betray his best friend’s confidence.

The only thing that was plaguing you more was why it bothered you so much.


	3. “Every adventure requires a first step.”

You placed the shopping bags down in front of the door. You rummaged through your purse to locate the keys that Pepper had given you. The door behind you opened but it didn’t register with you. You were grumbling about the pocket dimension that seemed to exist at the bottom of your purse as a hand came down on your shoulder startling you.

You whirled around and brought your can of pepper spray up to the person who had touched you. It was Pepper’s neighbor from across the hall, Jonah. He jumped back and held up his hands in surrender, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy there, little tiger.”

You rolled your eyes at him, “Dammit, Jonah! Why would you do that?” You put the can back in your purse but kept your hand on it. Just in case. You knew what he wanted. He wanted the same thing every time he saw you.

Jonah recovered quickly. He slid into his smarmy persona with little effort. You found it unsettling that it was so easy for him. He put a hand on the wall next to your head. You were caged in by his arms. “Lori, you look ravishing,” he said as he brushed his hand down your arm.

You didn’t try to repress the shudder from his touch. “Jonah, don’t,” you began. You slid yourself a couple of feet away from Jonah. Unfortunately took you further from the door to Pepper’s apartment. “We go through this every time I visit. You ask me out. I emphatically refuse. How many times until you finally understand that I will not go out with you.” you stated as you fixed a hard gaze on him. To anyone else, the look would have left no doubt on how true the words were. Jonah was not anyone else.

He brought his hands steepled together under his chin and studied you for a moment. You made sure to keep your face blank. Jonah never needed much, if any, encouragement. Pepper had warned you about him a long time ago. He was accustomed to getting his way with girls. He was attractive enough. He was tall with blonde hair and watery blue eyes. On paper, he should be a girl’s dream come true. In most cases, girls took one look at him and fawned all over him. He gobbled up the attention they provided.

Until he finished with them anyway. That was the other part of his reputation. He had no problem dispensing with a girl once he was tired of her. If his personality wasn’t enough of a deterrent for you, his reputation was.

He tsked at you and smiled. “Awww, Lori.” He took a small step towards you. You took a small step back. You mentally kicked yourself. Jonah seemed to enjoy the chase with you. The little step, albeit involuntarily, was going to encourage him. He reached his hand out towards your face, “Sweet, sweet Lori.”

A shout sounded down the hall, “Hey, Jonah!”

It mercifully made Jonah take a step back. You didn’t miss the look of irritation that flitted across his features. It didn’t bother you though. You looked around Jonah to see Jefferson coming down the hall towards you. You had never been more happy to him. He jogged down the hall until he reached the door.

“Hey, Lori, is Pepper back for our movie night?” Jefferson slung an arm around Jonah’s shoulder and smiled at you. That threw you for a loop. Jefferson hardly ever smiled. Not that you had seen anyway. He raised his eyebrows at you letting you know he was waiting for your answer.  
Your brain took that cue and started working again. “She’s, uh, she’s on her way,” you stammered. “Be here before you know it. I was looking for the keys actually,” you added with a small smile.

Jefferson reached down and grabbed your bags from the floor. “Well, let’s hurry. I’m starving.” He looked over his shoulder to Jonah. “It was good seeing you again, Jonah.” He returned his gaze back to you and motioned with his hand for you to hurry up.

“Oh,” you caught on to Jefferson’s signal. You bent your head and began to dig through your purse again. This time your fingers closed around the keys almost immediately. You pulled them out with a cry of victory, “Got ‘em.”

Jefferson gestured to the door, “Well then, by all means, open the door, milady.”

You stepped toward the door, “Gladly.” You had the door unlocked and walked inside with a quickness. Holding the door open for Jefferson to walk through. You looked out into the hall. “Later, Jonah,” you smirked as you slammed the door.

You walked into the kitchen with the smirk still on your face. You encountered Jefferson emptying the grocery bags in the kitchen. The smirk faded. He noticed but didn’t stop putting items on the counter. You heard him mutter as you walked past him, “Wow, I don’t think I have ever seen a smile fall so fast.”

It had been six months since you had first met and the past couple of months had been better between the two of you. That didn’t mean that the two of you had suddenly become best friends. There were still times when one of you had to leave the room before something untoward was said. You both were trying to make sure that your respective best friends were happy. It had become a mantra that replayed in your head when you felt the frustration building with him. “Do it for Pepper.”

His actions in the hall with Jonas had confused you. It was so out of line with all your previous interactions with Jefferson. You turned and watched him. You took in the broadness of his shoulders as he reached to put some boxes on a shelf overhead. You shook your head and wondered why you had even noticed. You were noticing those kinds of things about him more and more since you had stopped fighting so much. You were sure how you felt about that.  
You cleared your throat. “Hey, um, Jefferson?” you inquired softly.

Jefferson looked over his shoulder at you briefly before returning to his task. “Yeah?” he returned.

You leaned against the counter and put your hands in your pockets. “Why did you do that in the hallway? I thought you hated me.” You begin to chew the inside of your cheek when he didn’t answer right away.

His hand had stopped halfway to the shelf. He let out a long breath and returned the box in his hand to the counter. “I don’t hate you.” He looked skyward and you could see the top of the ball cap that he was wearing backward. “I don’t. It’s just… I don’t know how to explain this without sounding like a complete tool,” he added in a low voice.

You moved to stand beside him and took in his profile. The slope on his nose, his dark lashes and his soft lips. The light scruff he was sporting today. You caught yourself again and tried to focus on the conversation that you should be having with him. You could see that he was struggling with something internally. You decided to take it easy on him after all.

“Alright,” you nodded. “You don’t hate me. Good to know.” The only acknowledgment that you received that he had heard you was a slight nod of his head. It looked to you as if he was gripping the counter as if it was a lifeline. You were overcome with the urge to distract him.

“Sooo,” you said drawing out the vowel trying to think of something else to say and change the subject. The awkwardness was getting a little thick in the kitchen. A somewhat safer subject finally hit. “I didn’t tell you thank you. So, thank you for helping with Jonah.” you offered hoping that it would work.

It did. He turned his eyes to you, “Thank you?” he asked. He was puzzled about the cause of your sudden gratitude.

You pointed to the hall. “Jonah,” you answered. “I can’t get through to him that I don’t want to go out with him.” Your head dropped breaking eye contact with him. “No matter how many times I’ve said it,” you added. You developed a sudden interest in the grout on the counter. You ran a finger along the lines going around various tiles.

“How many times has he asked you out?” he inquired with tones of concern and curiosity heavy in his voice. He turned to face you as he waited for your answer. The movement caused you to finally looked up at him. You saw no hostility in his expression. It was enough to encourage you to continue.

“At least once every time he sees me,” you relented and returned your gaze back to the counter. You didn’t see the flash that came across Jefferson’s eyes at your words. Nor the slight anger that came across his face. Your fingers became twisted together showing your nerves.

He looked down at your twitching fingers and back at your face. He had put his serious face on, “And you’ve never said yes to him?”

“No,” you guffawed and whipped your head up to meet his eyes.

“Really?” he asked incredulously.

“No” you replied indignantly, “I have no desire to date that….that…,” you were struggling to come up with the right word. You finally settled on the first name you had ever called him, “douche.” He nodded in agreement as he didn’t disagree with your choice of word.

“That would explain it then,” he mumbled lowly but you still heard.

“Excuse me?” you queried. “Are you trying to imply that I’m leading him on somehow? That I enjoy having him chase me around when I come to town?” An uncomfortable feeling formed in your stomach. Did Jefferson see you as some kind of tease that would encourage Jonah?  
“No, that’s not what I meant.” he rushed trying to explain himself. His eyes rounded when he realized you were getting upset.

“Okay, giving you the benefit of the doubt here,” you replied not convinced. “What did you mean?” His shoulders slumped slightly as if he was relieved that you had seemed to forgive him.  
He pointed in the direction of Jonah’s apartment across the hall. “You know about his reputation, right? I hope Pepper filled you in,” he asked. You nodded your head. “With that guy, it’s all about the conquest. He doesn’t get turned down often. You refusing him just made you number one in his cross hairs. Every time he hears ‘no’ is a signal in his messed up brain that he needs to step his game,” he explained.

“Great,” you grumbled. You cross your arms and chew the inside of your cheek. “I don’t suppose he’s going to graduate anytime soon, is he?” you pleaded and looked at him with hope in your eyes.

Jefferson thought it over for a moment. A sly smirk came onto his face. “He’s a senior this year also. That would mean he graduates in a couple of months,” he commented. He scratched his cheek for a moment lost in thought. He looked at you and waggled his finger in your direction. “That’s why he’s been hounding you so hard,” he commented proud of himself.

“Oh, because he’s got a deadline,” you commented in a low voice. “So, really I just have to wait him out.” You smiled at the thought. You smile broadly at Jefferson. You returned to the bag you had been emptying before feeling lighter.

Jefferson didn’t return to his task. Instead, he watched you as emptied your bag. He noticed the change in your demeanor. You seemed so much lighter upon hearing that bit of news. He wondered Jonah was the part of the reason behind the times he had seen you in a foul mood during your visits.

Before he could ask, Pepper and August came through the door. “Lori, are you here?” Pepper called out to the apartment

“Sure am,” you returned as you put the reusable bag on the hook.

The couple came into the kitchen smiling and laughing. “Hey, Jefferson’s here too. Great,” August smiled as the two fist bumped.

You turned to face the group, “Did you guys have a good time?”

August put his arm around Pepper’s waist and kissed the top of her head. “Absolutely. Right, dear?” Pepper blushed and hugged August.

You groaned, “Ugh. You two are too cutesy.”

Jefferson nodded his head in agreement. “Seriously. August, I don’t know what’s happened to you, man.” August chuckled and hugged Pepper closer.

You looked over to Jefferson and pointed to the couple. “They’re going to give us diabetes. You know that right?” she asked.

Jefferson laughed, “We should begin stocking up on insulin now.”

“Hey!” August and Pepper shouted in unison but still smiling.

You brought a hand to your chest and shuddered, “Oh, crap. They’re sharing a mind now. It just got so much worse.”

“Haha,” August deadpanned. “You two are hilarious.”

Pepper nudged August with her elbow, “Don’t encourage them, sweetie. I know from experience Lori could do this all night.”

“She’s right,” you agreed in with a smile of your own.

August nodded towards Jefferson, “He’s no better.”

“Alright, alright.” Jefferson interrupted. He moved past the couple and sat down at the kitchen table. “Enough slamming the best friends who put up with the overly sweet lovefest. Aren’t we supposed to be figuring out costumes for that Kappa Delta spring fling thing?” He made a whirly motion towards the ceiling with his finger.

August came over and slapped him on the shoulder. “Come on, man,” he chuckled. “It’s not going to be that bad.” He took a seat next to his friend at the table.

You moved to stand next to Pepper. “What spring fling thing?“ you queried looked at the group assembled around the modest size table.

Pepper’s eyes rounded and she gasped. “Oh, I forgot to tell you! It’s going to be so amazing!” she exclaimed. “Next month is the annual Omega Nu Spring Tea. It’s their big spring fundraiser for the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.”

You eyed her confused. “Okay,” you hesitated. You shook your head and took a seat at the table. 

“What am I missing? You’re awfully excited for a sorority fundraiser. It’s not like you to get like this over a tea party…..not even when we were kids.”

August snickered, “You had tea parties?”

Pepper rolled her eyes, “Of course, we had tea parties. What little girl doesn’t have pretend tea parties with her stuffed animals? Right, Jefferson?” she looked at Jefferson for confirmation. Jefferson looked at August and nodded his head in agreement.

You were confused why she had asked Jefferson for confirmation. Definitely something to bring up later when you were alone with her. “That doesn’t explain why you’re so jazzed about a sorority’s tea.” you tried to steer the conversation back.

“Oh, right, right,” Pepper exhaled. Her face lit up again as she began to explain. “So Regina has decided to make it a themed tea party this year. It’s Alice in Wonderland,” Pepper was practically bouncing in her excitement.

Now you understood why Pepper was so excited. You couldn’t blame her. That was a childhood favorite for the both of you. A large smile spread across your face that matched Pepper’s own.

August groaned when he noticed the glee on your face, “Not another one.” Pepper smacked him on the arm. ”Ow, woman,” he pouted as he pretended to be hurt from the blow.

“Oh, stop it,” she laughed at him. She sat down in August’s lap and pecked a quick kiss on his cheek. She drummed her fingers on the table showing her enthusiasm. “It’s time to discuss costumes.”

You laughed, “It’s nowhere near Halloween. Where are you expecting to find anything decent this time of year?”

“Jefferson.” August and Pepper parroted. You shivered. It was disturbing when they did that.  
“You two have to stop doing that. It’s creepy,” you uttered. You were curious how Jefferson could solve their costume problem. You turned in your seat to face him. Placing your chin in your hand, “So, how are you the costume savior in all this?”

Jefferson was startled a little by your sudden movement. You noticed that he jumped a little and you quirked an eyebrow at him. He cleared his throat and sat up a little in his chair. “Well, I’ve made some contacts while studying in the theater department. So, I know some people,” he shrugged.

“That makes sense,” you responded. You turned your attention back to Pepper. “So what are you thinking of wearing?” you asked brightly.

She rubbed her hands together with excitement, “The Red Queen, of course.”

You noticed Jefferson had grimaced after Pepper announced her decision. You lightly tapped a finger on the table in front of him. When he looked over to you, you mouthed “What” silently.

He shook his head slightly and pressed his lips together. Obviously, he was debating something internally. You narrowed your eyes and poked him in the arm. You prodded him in a low voice, “Come on. Say it.” The others had noticed and were looking at him as well at this point.

He noticed all eyes were now on him. That seemed to make the decision for him. “It’s just,” he paused before looking at Pepper and continuing. “Regina is going as the Queen of Hearts. You know how she can be, Pepper,” he seemed to be almost pleading with her.

Pepper slumped back in her chair at his news. She let out a large exhale and looked up at August. He reached out and squeezed her hand. “If I wear the same thing as her then she will make it her mission to ensure that I suffer,” she let out.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Jefferson commented. “I know she plans on going full out on this one, too. She or rather her mother is having a custom outfit made. She said and I quote ‘This is my chance to go down in Omega Nu history. No expense shall be spared.’ She is putting every spare second she has into this party. She’s become a woman obsessed.”

You had heard tales of Regina. She was in the theater program with Jefferson and Pepper. If anything that you heard was remotely true, Regina was a force of nature. She dominated no matter what role she played. Her mother was a big actress on Broadway and had shoved Regina onto the stage at a very young age. Her mother was also an alumnus of their college and made sure to contribute lots of funds. All to ensure that her daughter always came out on top. It was almost too cliche to be real.

Pepper looked up. “So, what are my options then?” she asked looking around at everyone at the table. No one had an immediate answer. “If I can’t be the Queen of Hearts,” she grumbled and rolled her eyes, “what’s left? Alice? There’s going to be fifty different girls dressed as Alice.”

August reached over and put his hand over Pepper’s own. The action melted your heart a little and it wasn’t even directed at you. It made you happy that your friend has found someone so supportive. 

“Hey, what about the Duchess?” he offered. You and Pepper both wrinkled your noses at the suggestion.

“Are you kidding? She was nuts,” you commented.

“Like super nuts,” Pepper added.

Jefferson laughed, “Every character was nuts.” Everyone looked at him and blinked. He looked at you all, “What?”

“That was actually a fair point,” you conceded and smiled at him. “Never thought about it that way,” you added. Jefferson relaxed and returned the smile. You found yourself appreciating the crinkles around his eyes

“The Queen of Hearts is out,” August commented. That broke the moment between Jefferson and yourself. “Alice and The Duchess have been eliminated as well,” he continued unaware what he had done.

“She was never a favorite character of mine,” Pepper muttered as she rose from her chair. She walked to the kitchen counters and started the dinner prep. August began to rise from his chair but Pepper waved her hand for him to stay seated. “No, stay there, I can handle this on my own.”

“Are you sure?” he inquired not looking convinced. She nodded her head as she continued pulling items from the refrigerator. He kept his eyes on her for a few seconds making sure she was alright.

When he sensed that he should move on, he did. “So, sweetheart, what does that leave us?” he inquired. “Does anyone have any suggestions?” he looked around the table at the others.

“Well, perhaps it could be associated with your costume, August,” you commented. “Not that I’m saying a couples costume. Just that they could be from the same scene or close at least,” you added quickly.

“I decided on the March Hare,” he supplied. You nodded your head and smiled.

“Nice choice,” you told him. You turned to face Pepper, who was putting pasta in a pot of boiling water. “In that case, the Mad Hatter or Dormouse would be the most obvious options.”

Pepper glanced up at you and smiled. “Again an option that has already been claimed,” she pointed to your left. You swiveled in your seat to face the brunette whose cheeks looked slightly pink. It looked that way to you at least but you weren’t entirely sure.

“It was a given according to the lovebirds over there,” he said as he shrugged his shoulders.  
“Alright, I have to ask. Why is it a given?” you asked as you tilted your head to the side. He looked to you and you batted your eyelashes in a comical fashion. It made him chuckle.

“Because of my last name,” he answered without any further detail. Your eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. You weren’t aware of his last name. Only one option sprung to mind. The fact that it would be very unlikely to be truly caused you to hesitate to voice it.

Sensing that the others were waiting for you to say something, you finally asked, “Is your last name Hatter?” Two things happened right after that.

He turned to you, “My last name is Palarier. It’s Romanian for hatter.”

“That’s why it’s a given,” you said back to him slowly as understanding dawned on you. You leaned a little closer to him. “So, you’re Romanian?”

He laughed a little, “Yeah, I was even born there.”

“Wow,” you exhaled. “That is so cool. Wait, you don’t have an accent,” you narrowed your eyes at him.

“No, I do not. We came here when I was little, so I sort of lost it,” he explained to you.

“Very cool,” you smiled at him. Your eyes lingered on him a moment before returning your attention to Pepper. “What about the Cheshire Cat? Don’t shake your head no, missy. What’s wrong with that one?”

“I’m pretty sure that August will spend all his time trying to convince me to wear a sexy cat costume to the party,” she supplied. August shook his head with a huge grin on his face. “Which is not going to happen,” she said with a stern expression as she looked at August.

“Awwww, come on, honey,” he whined as he slumped back against his chair. She mouthed ‘no’ at him. A look of defeat crossed his face. You and Jefferson snickered at August’s pitiful look.

After few moments of silence, August straightened and smacked his hand on the table. “I’ve got it. The White Queen!” he exclaimed.

“Sorry, honey, but that’s not going to work either,” she offered him a sympathetic look. She put the casserole dish in the middle of the table. “Dinner is ready, everyone,” she smiled as she took a seat. August didn’t reach for food.

“Why not? Why can’t you go as the White Queen?” August inquired. “Is it Regina?”

“No, that’s Lori’s character,” Pepper answered and inclined her head towards you.

You scoffed at Pepper’s reason, “It’s fine. It’s not like I’m going to be using it or anything. Go for it.” Your friend’s mouth dropped open. Luckily for everyone else at the table, there wasn’t any food in it at the time.

“It’s an Alice in Wonderland party,” she sputtered. “Of course, you’re going to the there. No question about it,” she added when you went to protest.

“Thanks for letting me know what I’m going to be doing,” you mumbled as you spooned some food onto your plate.

“You’re welcome,” she answered brightly. You rolled your eyes at her.

“When did you appoint yourself my social director?” you groused. She laughed and poked you lightly in the ribs.

“Oh, please. You know you’ll have the time of your life,” she smiled knowingly at you. “Plus, you won’t have to worry about a costume. We’ve got that covered.” Pepper looked very pleased with herself as she brought a fork to her mouth.

“You still have the problem of what you’re going to wear, smartypants,” you smirked at her. The smile fell from her face at your comment. You reached over and squeezed her hand. “But we will come up with something great. I knew it.”

She smiled at you, “Thanks, bestie.”

“Hey, doesn’t Alice turn into a queen herself at some point?” Jefferson asked as he scratched his head.

“Jefferson, you are a genius!” Pepper cried. “How did we forget about Queen Alice?” she asked you.

“Alice was thrown out earlier, I stopped thinking about her,” you surmised. The boys nodded in agreement. “But Queen Alice, I like it. Plus, you get to wear white and gold instead of red and black.”

“So we’ll be kind of coordinating, huh?” she conceded. You nodded in affirmation. “Alright, I’m sold then. I’ll be Queen Alice.”

The rest of the meal was spent discussing the costumes and upcoming party. You could yourself getting more excited as the conversation went on. August and Jefferson left after helping to clean up the kitchen. You thanked Jefferson for handling the costume and Jonah as he was walking out the door.

“No problem,” he assured you as he pulled August away from Pepper. He playfully shoved his friend into the hall. “Be talking to you later.”

Your evening was wrapped up by an overly romantic chick flick in Pepper’s living room. The both of you were giggling at the overuse of the tropes in the film. A jilted bride blackmailed her grumpy but attractive coworker in pretending to be her fake boyfriend when her ex-fiance came around begging for a second chance.

“Could you imagine anything remotely close to that happening in real life?” Pepper giggled as she turned the television off.

“Absolutely not,” you answered.


End file.
